You are the captain

[boyofbadgers]

You are over 500 ahead in your second innings of the deciding test of a series. Your highest scoring batsman has just got out. There are two days left, but the scoring rate has been no more than 3.5 an over on average. You know that no one has ever made more than 418 to win in the final innings of a test. What do you do?

If you are Michael Vaughan, you decide that 513 isn't a big enough lead and wait another eight overs before declaring. Now, there is no earthly way NZ are going to win from this position, so it looks as though all he's done is shorten the length of time that they need to survive to secure a draw. I wonder if this match is weighing heavily on his mind.

Comments

[burkesworks.livejournal.com]

It shouldn't. Apart from the fact they have no-one who can clout it like Astle, even allowing for the short boundaries at Napier, no way can the current NZ team put on 118 for the 10th wicket with Chris Martin at the crease. Hell, his namesake out of Coldplay could probably bat better.

[darkpigeon.livejournal.com]

Broad did a good job at upping the run-rate though. I may regret saying this later, but 8 overs isn't going to matter much if they can bat for the best part of 2 days

[dogrando.livejournal.com]

Yes, the timing of the declaration seemed a bit strange and fiddly to me, too. They should win either way, and Vaughan has historically erred on the side of caution, but that 8 overs was a bit arbitrary (do you think they had some formula?).

Regarding your comparison with Christchurch 2002, see the section 'Tenuous analogy of the day' in cricinfo's Plays Of The Day (http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/nzveng/content/current/story/343860.html) (if you hadn't already).

[http://users.livejournal.com/xyzzzz__/]

Its the lack of confidence that is downright sickening these days.

What happened to the Michael Vaughan I knew and yeah, fucking loved!

[tansu.livejournal.com]

Also, what has happened to Michael Vaughan's face? It has become a Funny Face.